News & Weather

The air is thin up here!

As you go higher into the mountains atmospheric pressure decreases, which means the air is less dense and less oxygen is available. It will take a couple of days for your body to adjust. Feeling winded and short of breath is normal, even if you’re in great shape. Headaches and nausea are not uncommon. At 8000 feet and higher, altitude sickness affects 20-30% of visitors coming from a lower elevation.

The ultraviolet rays are also much stronger, and you’ll get a whole lot more sun than you’re used to at lower elevations.

So, it’s smart to come prepared and very well hydrated with lots of sunscreen.

You can do a few things before arriving to help yourself out. One is to spend the first night at a modest altitude of 5000-6000 feet (think Base Camp, but somewhere along the Front Range). Another thing that helps is to eat food high in carbohydrates and drink more water than usual. Lessen your intake of salt. You may also consult your doctor and ask about a drug called diamox.

Once you arrive take it easy the first day or two. Drink lots of fluids, up to 3 or 4 times more than you normally do. (Try and make it water and not soda or beer!) Limit your consumption of alcohol and caffeine for the first few days as well.